Since this month is World Vegan Month, is there a better time to try veganism?
According to the Vegan Society, “Veganism is a way of life that seeks to eliminate, as far as possible, all forms of exploitation and abuse of animals for food, clothing, or other purposes.”
Catch up with Emma Bathgate, webmaster of veganedinburgh.com To hear her top tips that will make going vegan a little easier.
Going vegan can be a big change. But there are some great resources to help you get started. I started my vegan journey by making a “30-day commitment.” Trying vegan for a limited time gives me peace of mind in the knowledge that if it doesn’t suit me, I can stop at the end of the month.
Here are some to get you started.
I still remember the first time I went to the supermarket as a vegan. Simply, I thought all vegan products would be clearly labeled. It was frustrating, but when I look back now, I can laugh. You don’t have to make the same mistakes I did! With a little knowledgeable label reading, you can find many “accidental” vegan products.
Unfortunately food labeling is inconsistent. But Co-Op, Sainburys, and Aldi proved to be good candidates for clear vegan food labels. And keep an eye out for Vegan Society Trademark or Vegetarian Society Vegan Approved. When you see these logos, you’re good to go.
Other supermarkets and products may take a little longer to read the package. But don’t worry. This all becomes second nature and you quickly learn what veganism is.
When checking for new labels, do the following:
Step 1: Is it labeled as “suitable for vegetarians”? If so, you know there is no meat in the product at all and you can move on to the next step.
Step 2: Do you have eggs or dairy? Eggs and milk are allergens and are always highlighted in bold so you can easily spot them when going through the ingredient list.
Step 3: Check for “sneaky” non-vegan ingredients. If your product passes the first two tests, read the ingredient list one final time to see if there are any other non-vegan ingredients that may be lurking. Be careful with additives (Click here for a list of non-vegan E-numbers), obscure ingredients such as “fragrance,” and honey (and no, honey is not vegan).
If it passes all of the tests above, there’s a good chance your product is vegan-friendly. Vegan Womble.
what about alcohol? Unfortunately, drink labeling can be even worse than food labeling, and it can be difficult to tell what is vegan (particularly beer and wine). Thankfully carnivore is a great resource to help identify cruelty-free beverages.
Food is perhaps the most important source of our animal consumption. But don’t be fooled. Animal products are everywhere: cosmetics, toiletries, clothing and furniture.
To truly embrace a vegan lifestyle, you need to avoid animal products in all aspects of your life.
For toiletries and cosmetics, Superdrugs have an excellent vegan rangeFor clothing, check the material label and avoid anything containing leather, wool or silk.
Being vegan can be lonely if you don’t know other vegans.The University of Stirling has its own vegan societyMeeting other vegans is a great way to make new friends and get advice on coping with the challenges of being a new vegan.
Some consider a vegan diet to be the healthiest, while others think it lacks important nutrients. Sure, fruits and vegetables are vegan, but so are potato chips, potato chips, and many sweet treats.
Getting all the important nutrients you need is essential in any diet. As an “insurance policy”, I take a daily vegan vitamin supplement to make sure I get everything I need, including vitamin B12, which is notorious for being hard to find in regular vegan food.
And what about medicine? Medicines may contain products of animal origin and UK law requires all medicines to be tested on non-human animals. However, if you need the medicine, keep taking it.
Remember: The definition of veganism is “as feasible as possible” – you shouldn’t make yourself sick in the name of being vegan.
Finally, my vegan tip, and most importantly, be kind.
Be kind to others. They may not fully understand why you decided to become vegan and want to ask questions about your new lifestyle. Yes (if I had a pound every time someone asked where I got my protein…!) but please treat these questions with humor. I am being asked by people of goodwill who are full of heart. Viva has an excellent guide With answers to the most common questions.
And, crucially, be kind to yourself. No one is “perfect” vegan right away. you make mistakes you will slip fine. All you can do is try your best and take it one day at a time.
I hope these tips help you. Going vegan has never been easier, so this is probably the beginning of a beautiful and exciting journey.
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